


In the Middle of the Room

by OceanTheSoulRebel



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Dancing, Diplomacy, Flirting, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22365724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OceanTheSoulRebel/pseuds/OceanTheSoulRebel
Summary: Keith gets asked to dance, twice.
Relationships: Keith & Shiro, Keith/shiro
Comments: 5
Kudos: 66





	In the Middle of the Room

U’bru’lo had been a major factor in its quadrant’s relative peace with the Galra, with their fierce military power and the booming economy. This was no shell-shocked colony, no whimpering diasporic people; the people of the planet U’bru’lo were warriors, and some of their own had come to the Blade, which was what brought the Coalition to their dance floor. 

Keith watched from the wall as Shiro whirled across the floor, his gifted uniform floating behind in spun gold and black. The Paladins had all been gifted their own ceremonial regalia for the official peace summit, garments that looked to Keith more like loose sundresses but that Shiro and Allura had taken to immediately. 

He only grudgingly approved because he could hide his Blade uniform and multiple weapons within its diaphanous folds. They were cut open along the shoulders and upper back to allow ease of movement to the U’bru’lans’ doubled sets of arms, the cut stopping just above the lumbar dip of the human spine. The skirt was long enough to hide even Keith’s sword in its full form, which was its only saving grace. 

No, he admitted. Its other saving grace was that Shiro seemed genuinely delighted by it, and was unfairly gorgeous in his. 

Shiro’s smile was a constant attention-getter, like catnip for their generally stoic hosts, and Shiro found much to grin about: a dry joke here, a fancy bit of footwork in the sparring ring there, getting his ass absolutely handed to him on the training deck at the Governor’s Manse. But Shiro only found more to smile about, and the U’bru’lans flocked to him and his crew. 

Much to Keith’s chagrin. 

Tonight’s event was a culmination of two weeks of negotiation, a banquet followed by a strangely familiar dance; it reminded Keith of the Brazilian capoeira, a complicated and acrobatic ‘dance’ typified by carefully choreographed flips and kicks. Even the U’bru’lan recreation was a fight.

“A fine dancer, your… what’s the word? Ad-ral?” 

“Admiral,” Keith corrected. His hand drifted to his hip without his knowledge at the approach of the U’bru’lan, and he flexed his fingers loose. Keith was so focused on Shiro’s graceful movements across the open-air pavilion that he hadn’t noticed his would-be visitor.

_Diplomacy,_ he told himself. _We’re here for diplomacy._

The U’bru’lan man hums, something noncommittal. “It seems he epitomizes what we know of your Terrans. I am glad our people can come together this way, Black Paladin Keith.” 

Keith crossed his arms over his chest with a huff and wished for his Blades suit. “What can I help you with?” 

“I am called Vax,” the man said. He extended an arm to Keith in apparent greeting, and Keith reluctantly clasped his forearm, a warrior’s grasp that was evidently tradition everywhere, in polite reply. Vax, pleased, nodded, the crest atop his head flexing in satisfaction. “Would you dance?”

Keith’s eyes darted to Shiro, where he twisted and turned in midair only to land on his feet. “No,” he said with a huff. “I’m--I’m busy.”

Vax’s sail-like crest fluttered, but he otherwise was impassive. “You watch him all night,” he mused. 

“What’s it to—” Keith cut off and bit his cheek in annoyance. “Yeah, because I’m supposed to keep him safe.” 

“Are the U’bru’lan unsafe, Paladin Keith?” 

Shiro’s laughter rang loud and clear. Keith glanced at him to find Shiro getting up, having apparently fallen. Shiro caught his gaze and smiled, waving with his Altean hand.

“I didn’t say that,” Keith replied evenly. He resisted the urge to curl into himself. Not even Earthmen were this insistent, but at least he didn’t need to worry about offending his fellow Terrans. 

“Then may—” 

“Keith!” Shiro laughed as he approached, his long skirt swooshing around his legs. His smile nearly broke his face in two. “Keith, come dance with us. Oh,” he said, finally clocking Vax. “Are you busy?” 

“Ye—” 

“No!” Keith quickly interjected. “I mean,” he said to Vax, shrugging, “duty calls. Maybe next time.” 

Shiro’s arm was hot against the skin of Keith’s back as he led Keith to a clearing in the assembled crowd. “Wanna show them something really special?” he asked, his breath brushing the hair at Keith’s ears. “Do you remember the dance steps I taught you, for that one dinner?” 

Keith snorts. “You almost dropped me.” 

“I did not!” 

“Did too,” Keith insisted. He smiled against the growing wibbly feeling in his belly. “But sure. Just don’t drop me, old-timer.” 

“Old— Oh, it’s on,” Shiro said with a grin. He placed his left hand at Keith’s waist and took Keith’s hand in his Altean one. The vibrations raced up Keith’s arm to stand every hair on end. 

The tweak of Shiro’s eyebrow was the only warning Keith had before they vaulted into the dance, moving to an unheard song. Keith only vaguely remembered the moves, taught one stormy night in a cave, cut off from the others by the weather, but after a few jerky steps, he got it. Shiro hummed when Keith pressed closer, following the unspoken directions of his body. 

They twirled around the room to outright admiration. Vax’s unsmiling face came into view between one turn and another, but Keith couldn’t bring himself to care. 

“Sorry I didn’t see it sooner,” Shiro murmured.

“See what?” 

“That guy.” Shiro squeezed his fingers around Keith’s own. “He was bothering you, right?” 

“A little, but nothing I couldn’t handle. Was more annoying than anything, really.” 

“Mmm.” Shiro led him into a spin and Keith followed. “Wanna try that dip again?”

“You gonna drop me?” 

“I didn’t drop you, you big baby.” Shiro leaned closer. “And so?”

“I--yeah,” Keith said. He flexed his fingers against the giddy warmth that flooded through him. “Yeah, let’s do it.” 

“Lean back on my count,” Shiro murmured, his hand moving to Keith’s back. His fingers splayed wide across Keith’s bared skin as he counted down. “Now, kick out—yeah, just like that.” Shiro’s Altean hand slid down to catch at the middle of Keith’s thigh, holding him pinned between his hands. 

Keith’s eyes fluttered closed against his will. Shiro was blazing hot where they touched, probably thanks to his earlier exertions. His breath played over the skin of Keith’s throat when Keith tipped his head back. 

The crowd went wild, stomping the floor around them like especially raucous applause. Keith let himself be held there, between Shiro’s hands and body. 

_I love you, I love you, I love you,_ he thought, near-delirious with it. 

Shiro was slow to bring Keith back upward, but he did, eventually. His own cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were black pools rimmed in icy grey. Keith clutched at the thin fabric of Shiro’s dress, lightheaded, and willed his heart to steady from its rabbit-fast pace in his ears. 

“Keith, I…” 

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by the crowd, and Shiro was all but pulled away with demands to teach. Allura swept through to Keith’s side, but he could only see the way Shiro’s eyes raked over his face a moment ago. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
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